My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

He indeed had methods, but he also needed the consent of this individual, for the process was extremely painful. It would be difficult for an ordinary person to withstand, and the stronger one's cultivation, the more pain they would endure.

As soon as Gu Lan's words fell, Shadow Slave fell into deep thought. Although he had been a slave, he still took pride in being part of the Dark Clan.

Seeing this, Gu Lan didn't mind too much. After all, this person was a member of the Dark Clan. It wasn't easy for him to abandon such an identity, and it was understandable that he felt some resistance.

With a calm expression, Gu Lan glanced at him and spoke slowly, "If you're unwilling, that's fine, but next time, I can't guarantee you'll survive."

At this, Gu Lan's expression turned cold, and his eyes darkened—he was clearly not joking.

Initially, he had hoped that Shadow Slave could assist him, but now he had other thoughts. Keeping someone like this around was too dangerous. If he didn't sever the connection between Shadow Slave and the Dark Clan, it would be a risk to the Lanyan Royal School.

Hearing the exchange between the two, Ding True Man, who had been silent for a long time, quickly walked over. He didn't approach Gu Lan but instead went directly to Shadow Slave.

Stopping in front of him, Ding True Man spoke coldly, "I've also heard of this Dark Master of yours. He never cares about the lives or deaths of his subordinates, so why do you still care? If you continue like this, your strength will never improve."

After speaking, he muttered a few words under his breath, so quietly that even Gu Lan couldn't hear them.

With these words, Shadow Slave's expression grew even more serious. Eventually, he nodded in agreement.

When he looked up again, there was a determined look in his eyes. He kneeled on one knee and, with a solemn expression, spoke to Gu Lan, "Please, Master, lend me your assistance. I am willing to abandon my identity as a member of the Dark Clan."

This sudden decision surprised Gu Lan. He had originally wanted to give Shadow Slave more time to consider, but Ding True Man's words had solved the issue instantly.

Of course, this was the result Gu Lan had hoped for, as he didn't want to actually kill Shadow Slave.

"Are you sure?" Gu Lan asked, his tone firm.

This time, Shadow Slave didn't hesitate. He nodded respectfully without speaking further. The aura around him had completely dissipated.

Gu Lan looked at him with a calm expression, and without a word, activated the Rule of Five Elements.

With the Rule Power in hand, a bright green light appeared, filled with vibrant life energy. The aura was powerful but gentle.

"I will rebuild your bloodline. Endure this, and your future potential will be limitless. If you cannot endure, you will die." Gu Lan spoke in a neutral tone, but the gravity of his words was clear.

As he spoke, the green light hadn't yet entered Shadow Slave's body, for this was a matter of life and death.

However, Shadow Slave had no choice. Having come this far, he had made up his mind to take this risk.

"Let's begin."

Having made his decision, Shadow Slave steeled himself. He knew this was his only chance to become stronger.

Ding True Man had spoken only one thing that mattered: "If you want to become stronger, you must follow Gu Lan."

Seeing the determined look in Shadow Slave's eyes, Gu Lan didn't say anything more. He exerted a slight force, and the power surged into Shadow Slave's body.

At that moment, a wave of blood energy wrapped around Shadow Slave. The blood within his body, which had previously belonged to the Dark Clan, began to be purified.

The blood was forcibly extracted from his body—a pain unimaginable to ordinary people. His body cracked, and his face contorted in agony.

"Ahhh!" A heart-wrenching scream echoed throughout the palace as Gu Lan increased his force.

At this critical moment, if Gu Lan were to stop, Shadow Slave would be left with no chance but to die.

Ding True Man, who stood off to the side, shuddered as he watched. His expression grew grave, and he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

When he had advised Shadow Slave earlier, he had never expected things to turn out this way. Gu Lan's methods were truly terrifying.

The pain was unbearable, something even Ding True Man couldn't have withstood.

As time passed, the energy around Shadow Slave began to change. The bloodline inside his body began to regenerate, and his pain slowly subsided.

However, his aura was still weak. At this moment, anyone who attacked could easily kill him.

Seeing that the blood on his body had disappeared, Gu Lan's expression remained unchanged as he withdrew his power.

As soon as Gu Lan's power dissipated, Shadow Slave collapsed to the ground, completely drained of energy.

Nevertheless, he still struggled to rise, and with great difficulty, he managed to kneel before Gu Lan.

"Thank you, Master, for your mercy."

He could feel that the Dark Clan bloodline had completely vanished from within him, and his cultivation had undergone a significant change. His internal power had also increased, though he couldn't yet use it.

"There's no need to thank me. Rest and recover. Soon, you'll need to come with me to the Dark Clan," Gu Lan's voice was calm, but there was a sense of finality to it.

As his words finished, dozens of Spirit Fruits appeared in front of him.

Seeing these fruits, Ding True Man's eyes lit up. Gu Lan had been so generous this time.

Though he was also a Heaven-Fixing Realm cultivator, these fruits would be very useful to him as well.

Shadow Slave was not hesitant. He immediately gathered the Spirit Fruits, knowing that Gu Lan had plans for him. He had to focus on recovering his strength.

Ding True Man's gaze lingered on the fruits for a long time, but Gu Lan's calm voice broke his reverie.

"These are of no use to you. When you're injured, I'll give you some," Gu Lan said, his tone dismissive.

This single statement shattered Ding True Man's hopes. Though his heart simmered with dissatisfaction, he didn't show it on his face.

With the help of the Spirit Fruits, Shadow Slave's recovery was swift. In a matter of moments, he had regained about seventy percent of his strength.

More importantly, his bloodline had undergone a noticeable transformation, making it much easier for him to improve.

Before long, he had fully recovered and was standing before Gu Lan with a respectful bow. His aura surged as he unleashed his newfound power.

Gu Lan looked on with approval, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Taking a step forward, he released his own aura, rising into the sky.

Shadow Slave quickly followed suit, understanding the unspoken command. Without hesitation, he activated his energy and blurred into a shadow, moving as swiftly as a wisp of smoke.

Although Shadow Slave was quick, his speed still couldn't match Gu Lan's. In just a few breaths, the two of them arrived outside the Star Realm.

Looking around, Gu Lan couldn't help but furrow his brows. The area was surrounded by thick black mist, devoid of any life force.

Looking at the scene before him, Gu Lan couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

"This is the Dark Clan's homeland?"

He was surprised. He couldn't sense any vitality here. How could the Dark Clan survive and improve in such an environment?

Shadow Slave's expression grew serious as he nodded. There was a hint of confusion in his eyes. This place had always been the Dark Clan's land, but it felt different from when he had left.

Seeing Shadow Slave's nod, Gu Lan took a step forward. But as he was about to move, Shadow Slave suddenly spoke, rushing to stop him.

"Master, I think we need to take our time with this. The closer I get, the more uneasy I feel."